Would You Like Me If?
by Count Kulalu
Summary: First Fic.One-shot.Maybe a series of one-shots.A character asks the other a question and gets an answer. Give Me More Character And Their Questions In Reviews For Future One-Shot Ideas!First question: Would Julie like Ben if he didn't have the Omnitrix?
1. Chapter 1

**Count Kulalu:**** Hello everyone! This is the infamous/famous Count Kulalu here with my first fic ever. It starts as a simple one-shot but I may make it into a series of one-shots. The premise is simple. The characters ask the other things like, for example: if they would like the other if such and such. It's fairly simple and I hope people send me reviews on what character they would like to ask the other a question and we can go from there. It can be funny or romantic.**

**Orbus: ****Hooray!**

**Klank: ****Excelent work, sir! Good to see you getting something done.**

**Count Kulalu: ****Well I have been very busy of late. Many things keep getting in the way.**

**Orbus****: Like ****The Sun Also Rises**** ?**

**Klank: ****Did you finally finish it?**

**Count Kulalu****: Errr…**_**Yes**_**. **_**Of course I did**_**. **

**Klank****: Well that is good to hear.**

**Count Kulalu****: Oh, and one more thing. I apologize for making this intro very long, so any future things that Klank, Orbus, and myself has to say will be posted after the end of the future one-shots. Just wanted to tell you all that.**

**Orbus****: Enough procrastinating! Start the fic already!**

**Count Kulalu****: Alright! Lights! Camera! Disclaimer!**

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**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Ben 10 and/or Ben 10: Alien Force and/or Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and/or any and/or all concepts and/or characters. They are copyrighted to Man of Action and Cartoon Network Studios. If I did own said things, then I would be a rich man and would at least try to make the DVDs not so expensive and hard to find. I would also put them in an ultimate collection box with a collector's Omnitrix. But I don't own these shows. Oh Well! Enjoy! **_

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"Would you like me if I didn't have the Omnitrix?" Ben asked Julie as they were walking home from their date. They had gone to get some smoothies after seeing a movie. A simple thing for most couples, but when the boyfriend of the pair was the wielder of the Ultimatrix and a hero to the entire galaxy, such simple things were few in between. Not to mention, they could get interrupted at a moment's notice by a rampaging robot, havoc wreaking villain, and who knows what else.

"What brought this up?" Julie asked. She knew Ben wouldn't just ask a question like that out of the blue.

"It's just that, well, I was wondering if it was the fact that I'm a hero that brought us together." He ran his fingers through his hair. He turned around when he noticed Julie stopped walking besides him.

"So are you asking me if I only like you because of some watch that gives you the ability to become any alien hero? Do you think I'm some sort of shallow gold digger, Ben?" Oh she was mad now! It's not enough that she has to put off with playing the part as Lois Lane in their relationship, but now her integrity was being put into question?

"No!" Ben waved his hands frantically. "Look, Julie, I didn't mean for it to sound like that at all. It's just that…"

"It's just **what**, Ben?" she crossed her arms with a slight scowl on her face.

"It's just that I feel as though it's because of the watch that we ever got to be boyfriend and girlfriend in the first place. I mean yes there are times where I've done some stupid things with the watch-"

"Like my tennis championship?" Julie interrupted with a smirk.

"Your never gonna let me live that down are you?"

"Considering the fact that you split yourself into three, while leaving the heckler at the stadium while you ran off to fight Forever Knights with Kevin and see the Sumo Slammers movie, I'd say nope." Not one of his finest moments as the wielder of the Ultimatirix, for sure. Though it was perfect blackmail material that had Ben wrapped around her figure.

"Well, yeah, like that time. And it's times like those where I wonder what would happen if I didn't have the Omnitrix to pull off stupid stuff like that." He said with a bit of remorse.

Julie was silent as her boyfriend continued his tirade.

"Would I be a better guy if I didn't have the Omnitrix? Just a regular guy worrying about passing his classes, when the next issue of his favorite comic book comes out, and getting home before his curfew? And even if I was that guy, what would attract the attention of the famous tennis champ, Miss Julie Yamamoto?" He said while looking into her eyes. The way he said her name was as if she was an Olympic athlete that people would be lucky enough to get a glimpse of her, let alone meet her.

"Well, I can clearly speak on Miss Yamamoto's behalf that she would like you just the same whether you had some special watch or not." Julie played along as they continued walking back to their neighborhood.

"Really, and can you tell me why Miss Yamamoto would be interested in courting with a regular guy like Ben Tennyson?" Ben grinned.

"Well, for starters, he is the type of guy who is motivated to help others in need."

"Go on."

"He is the kind of guy who would never let his family and friends come to harm, no matter what the danger. He may not be a smart as other people, and sometimes too naïve, but he can be very cunning and resourceful when the time calls for it." They had finally reached her house and were walking up to the door.

"I believe that's why a tennis champ like Miss Yamamoto would be willing to date a simple guy like him. Because he just radiates these qualities despite the faults he has." She then reached for Ben's face and gave him a kiss on the lips. It may have been simple to most couples, but to them, it was a moment of reassurance that despite the weird goings on in their lives, they were still together.

"Thanks Julie." He said with his face slightly flushed.

"No problem, Ben." Julie replied as she opened the door.

"So does this mean that you'll stop holding the tennis championship over me?" he said as she walked in.

"Not on your life." She replied with a grin and closed the door behind her. Ben smiled as turned around and continued on his way home.

"Well, it was worth a try."

**END**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Ben 10 and/or Ben 10: Alien Force and/or Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and/or any and/or all concepts and/or characters. They are copyrighted to Man of Action and Cartoon Network Studios. If I did own them, then I would make a beat them up game like Marvel vs Capcom starring the characters and Ben's Aliens which would be awesome. But I don't, so sorry. ;)**_

**_Credit for this chapter goes to Lexii-chan_**

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"Would you like me if I acted more like Gwen?" Julie asked Ben as they were walking home from school.

"I hope not. Then it would feel kind of awkward knowing that I'm dating my cousin."

"Ben."

"Well I'm sorry, but I don't see why you would want to act like her. I mean, Gwen is okay and all, but I can only be near her for so long or else the universe will explode." He raised his hands to emphasis his point.

"That's not true…is it?" Julie asked with an afterthought. Knowing the weirdness that was drawn to her boyfriend, it could be the truth.

"You know, I used to think so, but lately I've noticed that when I spend time with her, my chances of running into some problem that threatens the world increases." Looking back on it, Ben couldn't help but notice that one day he put the Omnitrix back on was after talking with her and receiving Grandpa's message. Later, he encountered a plumber, met Kevin again after busting him and the Forever Knights, and ended up going on a journey to find the Plumbers' kids and defeat the Highbreed.

"What about Kevin?" Julie recalled how Ben told him that ever since they met Kevin again, they have been finding trouble that revolved around his past dealings.

"Well with him, my chances also increase, but they're usual guys he had dealings with or double crossed." He said with Vulkanus and Argit coming to mind.

"So how do I fair out?"Julie asked worriedly. If Kevin and Gwen raised the chances to face super villains, then what did she do for Ben's danger magnet?

"Well, you're a bit more balanced because you don't really come along with us unless it's a big battle. However, if you hop on one foot while you rub your tummy and pat your head I don't have any hero business for a whole week." Ben smiled.

"Even I'm not falling for that." Julie grinned back.

"Oh, well. Would have been funny to see." Ben shrugged as they turned the corner.

"We're getting off topic here." Julie noted as they got closer to Ben's house.

"We had a topic?"

"Ben!"

"Well I still don't get what you're asking me. I mean, do you wish you could nag me more?"He hoped not. He already had one Gwen for that.

"No." Julie said as they reached the door.

"Is it the fact she could do magic and has powers?" He knew Julie had Ship who could transform into battle armor. He still didn't know how, but he heard a rumor that one of the students at his school was looking around for the owner of a dog that broke into his room and ate his video games. Maybe his girlfriend wished she could do things with mana like his cousin.

"Well, that's part of it, but not what I was looking towards." They stepped inside and moved towards the couch. Ben moved his bag to the side and put his books on the coffee table. He wanted to finish their conversation before they started their study session.

"Do you want to dye your hair red?"

"No!" How did he get that from-never mind.

"Then what is it?" Ben asked. He liked Julie very much. Sure he was the best guy to contrast for popularity since his hero business went public, but before all that he was Ben the weird guy who was dating Julie the Tennis prodigy. He was having trouble understanding why she (who to him was perfect) wanted to be more like his cousin (who for a good portion of his childhood was a thorn in his side).

"It's just…sometimes…I wish I was more outspoken like her."Ben was about to retort, but Julie went on. "And it's not just you…or that time with my Tennis championship. It's just sometimes…I wish had the skill to speak my mind more often."

"But you do speak your mind." Ben argued.

"Not like Gwen does. She can argue and take action because she has the power and skills to back up what she says. I mean, before we met I thought it was just because she was a black belt, but I later found out about her mana powers and that only raised the bar on her confidence level."

Ben remembered their argument over Ship. "Well, you seem to be getting better at it. I mean you're able to keep me in line, right?"

"Well, yes."

"Then that makes you better than Gwen. She's been nagging on me to do things since we were kids, yet all you have to do is ask and I'll be more likely to do it." He smiled.

"Only more likely to do it?" Julie smirked.

"Well, yes." Ben hoped he answered right.

"I guess I can accept that." She sighed.

"Well there's one more thing that you don't have to be like Gwen to do." He tried to cheer her up.

"Am I very good at it?" Julie asked as Ben leaned towards her.

"The best I know." They were drawing their faces closer together. Just a few more seconds and…

"Am I interrupting anything?"

The two teenagers stopped whatever they were doing and shifted so that it seemed like they were reading their textbooks. Ben looked over his shoulder and took no notice of the fact that his book was actually upside down.

"No, Mom, we're just studying." He received a skeptical brow from his mom, but she just turned and headed for the kitchen.

"Well, I'll just get started on dinner then. Will you be staying, Julie?"

"No, Mrs. Tennyson, but thank you for the offer." Julie said as she discreetly turned Ben's book to its proper position, much to his embarrassment. When the noticed she was out of earshot, they both let out a sigh of relief.

"You know, there is another reason that makes me wish I was more like Gwen."

"What's that?" Ben asked.

"The Gwen I know would have finished that kiss despite all the teasing from your mother."

They both shared a knowing smile and got back to work.

**END**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 and/or Ben 10: Alien Force and/or Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and/or any and/or all concepts and/or characters. They are copyrighted to Man of Action and Cartoon Network Studios. If I did own them, I would make an epic movie from them that was good enough to be in theaters. Man, I wished I owned them! ;)_**

**_This chapter was inspired by kittiekat10105_**

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"Would you like me if I got bad grades?"

"Why? Did you fail the test?" Ben asked. They had just walked out of their last period for the day. It was a Friday, so they had plans to go out tonight (unless any super villains had any objections). Now seeing that Julie looked worried at her score, it looked like they would have to reschedule the date before they even left school.

"No, I got an A. What did you get?" She asked. Ben looked at his test and quickly skimmed over it. He was used to seeing a lot of red marks on his schoolwork.

"I got a C+. I would have gotten a B- if I worked harder on the essay." He said with an 'oh well, that's life' attitude. He wasn't a terrible student, it's just that he was far from being a prodigy when it came to certain subjects. Though, allow him to transform into Greymatter and he can draw up an equation spreading across three chalkboards that proved how 1 is equal to 0.

"Well, at least you did better than that last test." Julie said as she put her test away in her binder then neatly into her backpack.

"That test was rigged. It had to be. I mean, what did Manuel Azaña have to do with the battle over Gettysburg?" Ben complained as he stuffed his test haphazardly into his own backpack.

"That's because it was the _**Spanish**_ Civil War, Ben. Not the Alamo." Leave it to Ben to forgo studying.

"Well, at least I remembered the Alamo." He defended.

"And that's why you got a D+." She shot him down.

"Still, why are you worried, Julie? You always do great on your tests and other work."

"It isn't that, Ben."

"Then why would you think your grades have anything to do with my opinion of you? I mean, sure I am a superhero, but I struggle trying to make sure I don't flunk out of school." You think superheroes would be excused from such chores like schoolwork, but no. It was something to do with them being role models, but Ben didn't really pay attention to that lecture.

"Yeah, but if I didn't help you study, you would be a lot worse off."

"So are you saying I use you to keep my grades in the clear?" He hoped that wasn't what she was saying.

"No, I'm just wondering if I didn't have good grades would you still be able to like me." Seeing that her boyfriend was still confused, she decided to make her question clearer. "If my grades were not that good, not because I was stupid, but because I was one of those girls who cared more about other pointless things like shopping, makeovers, and whose dating who."

"So, you're wondering if I would still like you if you were one of those stuck up popular girls." Ben replied.

"Kind of. Though, I don't think I could spend all my time starting all my sentences with 'like'."

"But you would be fine wearing pink."

"Well, of course." Julie said matter-of-factly. Ben pondered his answer for a few minutes before he told his girlfriend his decision.

"Well, Julie, I can honestly say that I would like you even if you weren't that smart." She was sensing a 'But' there. "But I'm afraid that our relationship wouldn't last."

"Why is that?" She was surprised. Yet, she was also curious as to why Ben would like her, but why he also said they couldn't last as a couple.

"Well, for one thing, you would probably be the type of girl who would think I was a loser."

She was about to protest, but Ben cut her off. "Secondly, you would probably be the type of girl who hung around in a clique. I know you sometimes hang out with the tennis team, but I imagine that this group wouldn't be as nice as them."

She got the mental image of herself and a few other girls sitting in the cafeteria. One of them tripped Ben as he walked by causing him to land his face on the lunch tray special. She and the others broke into laughter.

It wasn't the most appealing self image of her.

"Thirdly, you would probably have either multiple past boyfriends, or guys who you would manipulate into doing things for you."

Another mental image appeared. Only this time, she was surrounded by boys who did her homework while others gave her gifts. All of them asked he for a date, while she asked for more favors. What a tease!

"Fourthly-" Julie heard enough!

"Okay! I get it! You wouldn't date me if I was some spoiled popular girl." She huffed out.

"C'mon Julie, you didn't let me get to the best part." Ben smiled.

"What part? You keep listing things that make me seem more like a stuck up slut." If the things he said weren't all hypothetical, she would be 'hypothetically' smashing his head in with her Tennis racquet.

"Actually, I was just about to tell you how I was going to one day save you from some evil villain and you would be so struck by my heroic skills that you would jump into my arms and cry out your undying love for me" He finished with a dramatic pause.

Julie was stark silent for a few minutes.

"Are you serious?" She exclaimed.

"Maybe." He smiled.

"Anything else you want to add?" She smiled as well. Only this smile had a hidden threat behind it.

"At the risk of getting slapped, I'd say no." Ben nervously answered.

"Smart thinking." She calmed down. She knew Ben was only teasing her, but at least he answered honestly. Sure it wasn't a pretty picture, but at least she knew he still cared.

"Still wanna go to Mr. Smoothies?" Ben hoped to put all this negativity behind them.

"Like, totally." Julie joked. For a moment, she sounded like the girl Ben had been describing.

"…."Ben didn't want to answer to that. He had already pushed his girlfriend's buttons enough for one day.

"….Let's pretend that never happened." She said, seeing her boyfriend's hesitation.

"Agreed." Ben said as they left school. To him, Julie was smarter in more ways than one.

_**END**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Ben 10 and/or Ben 10: Alien Force and/or Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and/or any and/or all concepts and/or characters. They are copyrighted to Man of Action and Cartoon Network Studios. If I did own them, then I would make an episode where we see an alternate future where Kevin 11,000 was married to Gwendolyn and they would have to go back in time to get the past gang to help them save future Julie because Ben 10,000 is…**_

_**You know, I think I got an idea for a future chapter. Anyone got any ideas involving the gangs future selves? ;)**_

_**Also, I think you guys have the wrong idea because I meant for this story to have ANY two characters from Ben 10 ask each other questions. That means that I can do some Kevin/Gwen stuff, so long as you gave me a premise. I just felt like there wasn't enough shorts and stories for Ben and Julie. That, and they're the couple I wish to see more stuff done with. Still, just because they are the main couple of this series, does not mean that I won't do any writing for Gwen and Kevin so long as you send me ideas. Also, Bonus points given to people who give me creative questions and characters involved with them. **_

_**With that said, Enjoy this Gwen/Kevin Short.**_

**This Chapter was brought to you by: Skylark Evanson**

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It was a beautiful night, and Kevin felt the need to get out of town for a while, so he had decided to take Gwen out for a drive. The two of them were lying on the hood of his car, sharing a couple of soda cans while parked of to the side of the desert road to stare at the stars above. For some reason or another, this expansive scenery brought a question to Gwen's mind.

"So would you like me if I was a bad girl?"

Kevin started laughing until he noticed the look Gwen was giving him. "You're serious?"

"What, don't think I can?" Gwen raised herself up to look Kevin in the eye. Kevin just looked at her and took another sip from his soda.

"You couldn't be the bad girl if you tried."

"I could so be bad if I wanted to."

"Then prove it." Kevin challenged. He took one last sip of his soda, and then passed the can to Gwen. "Here, throw that into the street over there."

"What? Why?"

Kevin just lied back and got into a more comfortable position to watch. "Just do it."

Gwen looked at the empty can and threw it. A car passed by and looked like it was going to hit it, so she acted on reflex and caught it with her mana powers. As the can was brought back to her hand, she saw Kevin smile knowing at her. "What? It could have caused that guy to crash."

"Because of a can?" He raised an eyebrow at that.

"It could happen." Gwen defensively stated.

"Even I can tell you how unlikely that is."

"So what's your point?"

"It's impossible for you to be bad." Kevin got up and started heading to the driver's side door of his car. "But you know, I'm kinda thankful for that."

"Huh?" Gwen asked as she got up, too.

"A good girl like you, is what a guy like me needs. At least according to what my mom keeps going on about." Kevin started to look for his keys, but couldn't find them in any of his pockets. He knew he hadn't left them in the car, so where did they-

"So, I guess you'll be needing these." Gwen was jingling the keys in her hand.

"Hey." Kevin fired back, realizing that she must have pickpocketed them with her mana while he was turned around. "I thought you were supposed to be the good one."

"I guess I have a bad influence for a boyfriend." She said while scooting him out of the way. "Besides, I want to drive."

Kevin sighed in defeat. "Fine, but only because I let you."

"Whatever makes you feel better." She smiled. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then moved to the driver's seat. Kevin just sat on the passenger's side, leaning against the window. Although he tried to look annoyed that he wasn't driving his ride, he couldn't help but to try and hide his smile.

A guy like him could need a good girl to keep him in line, but a girl like Gwen is what keeps his life interesting.

**END**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Ben 10 and/or Ben 10: Alien Force and/or Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and/or any and/or all concepts and/or characters. They are copyrighted to Man of Action and Cartoon Network Studios. If I did own them, then I would make Ditto come back so he could jump into Julie's arms and shout "Hello, Nurse!" **_

…_**What? I can't be the only one to think that would be an awesome and funny reference. ;)**_

**A very Special Shout out goes to my number one (maybe only) fan for this super special chapter: DannyPhanto fan**

**This chapter can also go to show you how one simple question can bring about such a riveting story. ;)**

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"So would you like me if I was like Kevin?"

Ben spat out his smoothie. "What?"

"Would you like me if I was like Kevin?" Julie repeated, while calmly taking a sip out of her own drink.

Ben started wiping away some of the wasted beverage of the table, making a note that he wasn't hearing things due to bad seaweed in his smoothie…again. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well, Kevin said something about you wanting to talk about your feelings with him more so I thought-"

"Whoa! Ok, first of all, that's different."

"How?"

"Well, with Kevin, it's…I don't know…different." Ben didn't really have an explanation for it. He just knew that talking to Kevin was not the same as talking to Gwen or Julie. "With Kevin, you never really know what he's going to say. He may always reply with his usual tough guy attitude, but there have been a few times where we have…connected."

"Connected?" Julie's eyes widened at hearing her boyfriend say that.

"Not like that!" The way she said, it was, well…not the way he meant to say it. "It's like we're brothers. He's the older one that always would knock you down, but the moment someone else tries it, he's right there to strike back at them."

"Except for the times he tried to kill you." Julie tried to joke. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the most absolutely wrong thing to say.

"Yeah, but that was my fault." Ben sadly replied as he recalled all the bad times that transpired between them. He bowed his head as the sorrow he felt weighed him down. "It was always my fault."

Seeing Ben's distress, Julie tried to apologize. "Ben, I'm sorry I-"

"I never want you to be like Kevin." Ben said as he got up from the table and started to head out. "Because if you were like Kevin…that means I messed up your life, too."

Julie just watched as Ben transformed into Jetray and flew away in haste. A tear dropped as she realized that she brought up some very bad feelings for her boyfriend.

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"He said that?" Gwen asked in shock. Julie just sat there on the couch with her knees to her chest as she sadly kept her head down. Gwen came over to her house because Julie phoned her in need of having someone to talk to. She had just retold the whole story to Gwen and needed her input in order to figure out what to do.

"Well, I wasn't…I didn't mean…Oh I'm such an idiot!" She started to tear up. She was nowhere near bawling, but her eyes still watered. Who could blame her for feeling so terribly? Normally she is the one who comforts Ben, not someone who hurts him.

"It's alright, Julie. I'm sure Ben knows you didn't mean to bring it up." Gwen said while placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "So why did you?"

Julie wiped the tears from her face as she composed herself. "Well, Ben seems to be more open to Kevin lately, so I thought I'd ask him why."

"But you didn't want to just straight out ask him. Am I right?"

"Yes." Julie looked at Gwen, glad that she understood. "I just want to know why he's been acting different lately."

"Well, Ben's been acting out of it a lot lately." Gwen stated. She could plainly see that being famous had done nothing to deflate her cousin's ego. At times, it seemed that there was nothing that was considered too extreme for him. Yet it appeared that Ben was not as excited with fame as he once was if the fact that he had been doing less smoothie promotions and autograph sessions. "He was getting more arrogant due to his fame, but I think he's been putting up a front now."

"I've been noticing that, too. Ben and I were interrupted on our date a few days ago." Oh she remembered that one very well.

They had just gone to the pier to relax and have fun. It was almost what their first date could have been, but sadly it was considerably worse than it. It wasn't interrupted by a mechnomorph looking for help, but instead it was bombarded by a flock of reporters and cameramen. To make matters worse, a few of them said some very inappropriate things to try to get a confrontational reaction out of the couple. While she and Ben didn't take the bait, she saw that it was a real struggle for her boyfriend to remain calm.

"As he was smiling and waving at the cameras I saw he was secretly setting the Ultimatrix to Wrath. Then it looked like he was debating it, before he decided to turn into Big Chill and we flew away."

"It sounds like he's been doing some serious thinking." Gwen commented.

Julie just sighed. "I wish he would tell me what's been going on."

It seemed that an answer for her prayers was in order. Her phone rang and judging by the ringtone it was Ben.

She was careful in with answering it, and hoped Ben was in a mood to talk. "Hello?"

"Hey, Julie. I was wondering if we could meet up somewhere?" He didn't sound upset, but he didn't sound that excited either. Still, Julie wanted to talk with her boyfriend and make amends for what she said. So with some reassurance from Gwen, she strengthened her resolve and made her choice.

"Where do you wanna meet?"

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The park was nearly empty as the sun started to go down. It was only a few minutes away on her scooter, but it still felt like a long ride with all the thoughts going through her head. Making sure that she knew what she was going to say, she parked her vehicle and started to search the place for her boyfriend. It didn't take too long. He was sitting on a park bench, waiting for her. Before she could even mutter an apology, Ben started to talk.

"It's really something to be a celebrity. People look up to you like a role model, but how would they act knowing all the mistakes I made?" Ben said as Julie took a seat next to him. "I made a lot of them. I used the Omnitrix to get things, and even make enemies."

Even Julie, who only heard about Ben's past exploits, knew what enemy he was talking about in particular. She only heard bits and pieces of that particular story, but from what she could piece together, Kevin is a lot better behaved than when Ben and Gwen first met him.

She could tell that it wasn't just the fact that he had this terrible deed weighing down on him. It was that he was afraid about what others would think of him if they found out. The media would have more than a field day if they ever heard of Ben using the Omnitrix irresponsibly, let alone all the enemies he ended up creating with it.

"You know Ben, it's not just what mistakes you've done that people judge. It's what you do after you made them. I know you've helped more people than anyone else I know." "As for Kevin…he was your greatest enemy besides Vilgax. Yet now you're able to talk to him and let him date your cousin."

Ben couldn't help but to laugh at that. "Trust me, I never saw that one coming."

So the couple talked for a while. Julie apologized for what she said to invoke bad memories, while Ben apologized for leaving so abruptly. The two talked about other things until the night sky came above them, filled with stars. Whatever light the moon could give them was shining with the many lampposts along the park's path. Yet the two of them didn't really care about the time, so long as they were next to each other.

Julie didn't know why she was compelled to make the next topic of conversation. She wascomfortable leaning against Ben as they sat next to each other on that park bench. Yet, it was a topic that she felt that she needed to know.

"When Kevin turned back into the monster after that thing with the Forge of Creation…why where you so adamant about ki-finishing him off?"

Ben thought about how to answer that. He didn't say anything for a good while.

"Why did I nearly kill Kevin?" he took a deep breath and let it out. "Because I just had a feeling…he wouldn't come back."

That was definitely not an answer she was expecting. "What do you mean?"

"Kevin has endured a lot. I don't know all about what he's experienced, but I know that when it gets down to it, whatever he's faced is worse than I ever have. The thing that makes it worse is that while I had Grandpa or Gwen with me while I was saving the world with the Omnitrix, He didn't have anyone. He was all alone." Ben knew Gwen would probably know more about that from Kevin. He was more open to her, then him anyways. All he got was that his childhood was no day at the playground. "I guess that loneliness gave him a lot of hate, too. You weren't there to fight him the first time he became Kevin 11, but I can tell you that it was still horrible to see the glare that he gave me. Even though he was only a year older than me at the time, I knew that he really wanted me dead."

"So you thought it would be hopeless to try to save him."

"No." Ben corrected. "I just wanted to stop him from becoming something that he never wanted to be."

Julie got the underlined message. "You didn't really want to kill him, did you?"

"I never wanted to do it. But I know that if it ever came to the point where it had to be done, I'm the only one who can." The way he said it made Ben sound resigned to it. It was as if he knew some secret that made what he just said a fact of life.

Julie tried to find the reason behind that. "Why you? Why not Gwen?"

"Because Gwen could never do it." Ben knew that all too well. He may have had fights with his cousin before, but nothing could compare to their match before he went to fight the monstrous Kevin. It was also through that fight that he could see that despite all her drive to stop him, she could not will herself to do what he almost did.

"Kevin could threaten her and bring her to the point of bringing her close to death, but she could never do the same. She just cares for him too much. I had to fight her to hopefully keep her away, but that didn't work either." Oh, it failed miserably. "It only further drove her to try to stop him herself. Even though it ended up woth her getting hurt more, I'm still glad she came."

"I'm sure she's glad, too." Julie tried to brighten the mood. "But Ben, you don't have to keep hurting yourself over what happed. It's already passed. I'm sure Kevin has no hard feelings, and Gwen's surely forgiven you."

Ben sighed as he tried to form a slight grin. "I know, but it isn't so easy to simply forget it all. I guess it's just as the saying goes: 'The hardest person to be forgiven from is yourself.' I only wish there was something to help me with tha-."

Julie just grabbed Ben's face and pulled him into a kiss. It wasn't a full make out kiss, but it certainly was no simple peck on the lips either. As she pulled away, she couldn't help but to smile at the pink tinge her boyfriend had on his face now.

"Did that help?"

"A little." Ben stuttered. He then scooted a little closer to her with a slight grin on his face. "Although, maybe one more might make it even better."

"Sorry, only one per customer." She quipped. She jokingly pushed him away and tried not to laugh at Ben's look of disappointment. "Besides, don't you think you should start taking me home. It's almost a half-hour before my curfew."

That shook Ben out of his stupor. "Right! We better hurry then."

So the two of them headed out of there. One was glad to know that she could comfort the other from his darkest actions in the past. The other was glad that he had someone who could hear his darkest secrets and understand him.

The both of them could care for the other for who they are, not what they did, and neither one would want to ever change that.

**END**


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE!

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE 2/5/12**  
Hey guys,  
After much thinking, I've decided to take down these stories ("Rise of the Baranoia" and maybe "My Girlfriend's a Fox"). I really hate to do this, but I can't think of a single thing to do with it. I've just been away too long to get back into it. I'm sorry. I really am. It isn't fair to let what little fans I may have had down. I just want to say that maybe I am not yet ready to take on such a huge series of stories. However, I still want to do one shots and will keep my "Would you like me if?" and "Character confessions at the Krazy Kulalu" series up. And who knows? Maybe one day I will have the skills needed to bring my bigger series back up. If you want me to leave them up, I will for now, but if I were to ever continue them, I would most likely rewrite them. Still, I hope this doesn't turn you off from reading anything else I post.

Also, please take part in my story challenges as well as the poll I currently have on my profile. (Please! Please! Please!)

Until we meet again, this is Count Kulalu saying TTFN. Until next time!  
-Count Kulalu-


	7. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE 8213

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE 8/2/13**

Hey guys,

It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, some stuff has been happening in my life that just made it very difficult to get back to writing fics. Besides being in a great deal of classes that involve assigned writing that I must focus on, there have been other things that I've been going through. So to quickly give you an idea, here are three things that have kept me from posting things.  
1. Ben 10 is dead.

2. Life is given priority over fantasy.

3. Depression hurts.

That third one might be too blunt to say, but I rather not go into too much about it, due to the darker side of the net. Rest assured, I take life one day at a time and am not going through it as badly as I was in the beginning. That is all I will say on the matter.

Anyways, I am not sure if I should stick around as Count Kulalu. I wanted to do so much with the character, but the problem is that I ended up not becoming comfortable enough to put the character out there. OCs are considered taboo, and with what I wanted to do, I would have been undoubtedly put further under the rug. So I felt too intimidated to continue things like "Klank and Orbus, Where Are You Now?" and "Character Confessions at the Krazy Kulalu". As for my Ben 10 fics, well, see #1 and you'll find that while I like reading fics of the genre (especially from writers like MissLevinLover and Bigby the Big Bad Wolf) I don't think I feel inspired enough to write them myself anymore.

Yet, I do not want to just dispose of these stories. I may find a way to continue them. I also do not want to erase what maybe a very very number of readers may have enjoyed. So, I will not simply delete them, but should I give them to others who may want them?

Should Count Kulalu be gone, and I become someone else? Someone who starts fresh? Or is there something I can do to stay Kulalu and just try to show random bits of stories that I would like to see here? Any answers?

Also, I would like to try my hand at Beta Reading, for I feel if I can't make my own fanfics (I can still write, thank you very much), then I might be able to help out others if given the chance.


End file.
